The Forester volleyball team suffered a pair of three-set losses Friday night at Benedictine University's Eagle Classic, falling to Elmhurst University and Benedictine.
Freshman setter Juli Barrientos recorded a season-high 21 assists and led all players in the match with 15 digs against Elmhurst. Sophomore outside hitter Mary Gegen pounded out 13 kills and posted a .323 hitting percentage in the contest while junior libero Izzi Visnjevac reached double figures in digs with 10.
Elmhurst closed out the opening set with an 8-1 run to prevail 25-16. The score was the same and the story was similar in set two with the Bluejays winning seven of the last eight points. The Foresters trailed by nine late in the third before making things interesting with a 6-1 run. Elmhurst, however, took the set 25-20.
Gegen's six kills and four blocks and Barrientos' 14 assists and eight digs led Lake Forest against Benedictine.
Lake Forest won the first three points of the match but the Eagles took the next eight and led by as many as 10 in the opening set. The Foresters fought off three set points before falling 25-19. Benedictine's lead in set two reached 11 points and the home team took it 25-15. The third set was tied 11 times, the last at 14-14, before the Eagles pulled away and won 25-20.
The loss dropped the Foresters' overall record on the season to 4-11. Elmhurst improved to 5-6 and Benedictine to 6-9.
Lake Forest will travel to Wheaton College next Wednesday night before beginning Midwest Conference play next weekend.